Cherry-pitting machine.



S. J. DUNKIJEY. CHERRY FITTING MACHINE. v APPLIUATION FILED Nov.z9,19o4.

974,759. Patented Nov. 1,1919;

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CHERRY FITTING MACHINE. APPLIOATIOH FILED Nov. 29, 1904.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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'machineA embodying my S'iinsgrENT onirica.

SAMUEL V'. DUNKLEY, OF KALAMAYZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DUNKLEY COMPANY,

Gl? CHECAGG, ILLNOIS, A ,CORPORATION-OF ILLINOIS.

CHERRY-FITTING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application lled'ovember 29, 1904. Serial No. 234,716,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that SAMUEL J. DUNKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Kalamazoo, in the vcounty of Kalamazoo and State of vlichigan, have invented a new and useful improvement in Cherry-pitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cherry pitting machines The object of iny invention is to provide a machinev ot' a simple, eflicient and durable construction, by means of which cherries may 'he' automatically pitted and very rapidly'and cheaply, and the pits separated roni'the cherries without waste or distignreni'ent or mutilation of the cherries, beyond the extent necessary for expulsion of' the pits or stones. y

further consists lin the novel construction of parts and devices and in the novel combinations 4or parts and devices herein shown or described, as claimed.

.in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specilication, Figure l is a front elevation of an automatic cherry pitting invention; Fig. Q is across section on line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig. t is a detail vertical section through the drum; Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section through the drum; 6 is an enlarged detail partial vertical 'cross section through the drum and stripper insidethe drain; Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of "diei-stripper; Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views'of one et' the pitting plungers.

.llnthe drawing A represents the 'frame of the machine, B is an v volving hollow cylindrical drum, having a closed head or plate B1 at' one end and a rim .igurnished with ratchet teeth B3 for intermittent-ly rotating the drum. The freni-B is journaled andsupported at one `d on a stationary horizontal or nonrefol ingehaft E, said shaft being connected the uprignts A1 .al o the frame at each nd ci the machine. rIthe intermittently `otating hollow drain B is supported at its other and open end by antifriction wheels or rollers B5 B5, which engage its peri phery.

The drum B is provided on its periphery with a series of cherry receiving cavities l), preferably substantially semispherical in shape, and large enough to receive the largest cherriesl intended to beoperated upon intermittently re-,

by the machine. And eachof these cavities o is furnished with av radial opening b1 through the drum for thc cherry pit and pitting plunger to pass through. The cherry receiving cavities l) are arranged in a series ol longitudinal rows b2, there being preferably, as illustrated in the' drawing, 16 cavities L in eachrow, so that 16 cherries may be simultaneously pitted at each stroke ot the pitting plunger cross head.

D is the pitting plunger cross head, the

' cherry.

The pitting plunger relatively small shank and an enlarged head. This insures that the pit shall not be missed but shall be engaged and forced out; but the forward end of lthe head being formed with sharp cutting edges, and the shank ot' the plunger being small, the fruit is not crushed or lacerated. Each tork culs through the top part of the cherry or other fruit without leaving an unsightly hole. The smaller shank lollows down through the fruit and leaves it in as near a natural Shape as is possible, without forcing out theI pulp.

F is a stationary stripper, preferably 'of rubber or other elastic material, ported and embraced inside the hollow ,d1-uni B between a pair ot' sul'iporting plates F1 il, the upper one ol which is preferably oi' sheet copper, so that the acid juices oi? the `fruit will not cause thcsanic lo rust. The supporting plates F1 F2 are gLvcn a curvature in cross section corresponding tothe inner upper plate li is arranged in closc pro.\ iniity to the inner periphery of the drui'n vll. The rubber stripper plate l" is provided with a series of'scts ot' radial slits f, one Set tor cach pitting piinch`r and each set oi slits preferably coml'n'ising four radial slits, corresponding to and registering with the is formed with a of radial' periphery ot' thc drum B, and the I llO sharp ed es d2 of the forks Z1 of the pitting plunger eads. The prongs or quadrants f1 of the rubber Stripper' F between the radial slits f', thus fit in the notches Z3 between the` forks or prongs Z1 vof the lpit-ting plunger head, an

' lany pulp or'inaterial from the notches of i retracted on its upstroke from the rubber' the plunger head when the pitting plunger mounted inside the druiii to. reciprocate on i suitable stationary guides Gf, and by means of which the pit 4dischai-ging openings b1 and ch ry cavities I) in the drinn are treed from pu'lp or other material which might crank or, wrist pin p on the driving slial'tv otherwise adhere thereto.

- H is a stationary guard or scraper inside the drum for removing any materials` adhering to the inner periphery of the drinn.

K is a stationary trough supported inside tliegrevolving drinn beneath the stripper F, aiid'pitting plungers. I

K1 is un endless coiiveyer or device for removing the pits from the receiving trough K, the saine traveling on sprocket wheels or pulleys K2 K, one of which is located in the trough inside the drinn.

M is the stationary stripper above the rotary drinn, having holes or openings through which the pitting plungers reciprocate aii'd serving to strip or free the forked heads it of the' pitting vplungers t'roni pulp or material adhering thereto. 'l'lie stripper M is, preferably, ol: rubber and see'ired to a plate in.

To cause the drum and each row o'l cherry receiving cavities therein to properly register with the pitting plungeis, l provide the drinn with a series ot registering guides o",

.suitable mechanism, but l pre-fer to give theiiecessary intermittent or step by step inovenient to the drinn by means ol' a ratchet- B:z on the drum, which isengaged by a pawl o* on the piiwl lever b5, which is actuated by a l through the connecting link p. 'llic pitting plunger cross head l) l pre'ler to r'eciprocate :is required by means oli cams or ecccntiies l)l `ll on the driving shal'tl and connecting straps lg l. ejector plunger cross head (l is preferably rcciprocated as required by means olf a rock thus serve to strip and remove side the hollow rotary drinn B by arm 'l`lie cleaner mpi'` shaft R inside the hollow drinn B, havin arms r connected to said cross head Gr, lan

an arm r1 connected by alink r2 to the pittingI plunger cross head D. The rockshaft R is supported `and joiiriialed inside the G are likewise supported inside thedrum B by arms Gr3 secured to the stationary shaft B4. And the supports .F1 l`2 for thefstripper F are `also supported and held stationary isecured to the stationary shaft B4, and the trough K to receive the pits is likewise` Supported on this stationary arm.

"l` is the lchute or hopperfor cherries in bulk, and causing them to autoinatically l'ee'd into and till the cherry receiving cavities o ot' the drum B as it rotates. l

rl`lie operation is as follows: rotates vintermittently the rows of cherry .is una 'iii-tim' holding the I cavities pass successively under the cherries in the cherry chuteor hopper, and till therewith, each cavity taking up a cherry. .\s each row of cavities is brought uiider the gang ol pitting pluiigei's the saine descend, thuscausing the sharp edged forked lplunger-sv to passthrough the cliei'ries and toire the pits out thereof through the stripA per l@ into the trough K; the pits being Ifeinoved by the eonveyer K. Simultaneously with the movement of the pitting-plunger D thev claiier or' ejector plungeis` are also operated, 'thus keeping the cherry cavities and pit'discharging openings free. iAs the druin l rotates the pitted cherries iii-econi'eyed around and dischai-ged into a i'eceiving pan or chute S.

vIl claim: 1. ln a 'fruit pitting niachine,' the 'cour bination of means i'or holding the fruit, a.

pitting plunger having a relatively small shank, and an enlargedhead divided into l'orks'd1 ,t'ormedwith sharp-radial cutting i edges (Z2 on the end of tlie'plunger, and an elastic stripper slitted to v'foi-1n yielding prongs which operate b stripper benigni line frespectively with the reciprocating pitting plunger having a head furnished with a pluralitylof radial forkswith inclined ,cutting edges, a 'rubber' or elastic stripper having radial slits "with l their extremities fpass'ing between-the'for s,fthe slits ofthev iii;

stripi'iing prongs between tlieiadial slits,

through which the pitting 4plui'iger .may

I'orce the pit, upper and lower' stationary4 curved supliortiiig plates embracing the` stripperaiid suitable actuating mechanism, substantially as set',- ilforth. v f 3'. .In a cherry pitting machine,1 the coins bination with an intermittently rotating hollow drum furnishetLwith a series of rows of cherry receivingA cavities, each having a pit discharge opening through the drum, of a reciprocating pitting plunger cross head having a plurality of pitt-ing plungers, each having a head furnished with a plurality of radial forks with inclined cutting edges, a rubber or elastic stripper having a series of sets of radial slits with stripping prongs between the radial slits through which the pitting plunger-s may force the pits, and upper and lowerv Stationary curved supporting plates embracing the stripper inside said drum, substantially as Specified.

Il. In a` fruit pitting machine, the conrbination of means for holding the fruit, a reciprocating pitting plunger having a head furnished with a Aplurality of radial forks with inclined cutting edges, an elastic stripper having' radial slits with stripping prongs between the radial slits, through which` the pitting plunger may force the pit, upper and lower stationary supporting plates embracejector 'pli igers, substantially as specified.

6. In a cherry pitting machine, the combination of a non-rotary shaft, an intermit- 40A tently rotating hollow drum mounted at one end on said shaft and furnished with fruit receiving cavities and pit discharging openings, reciprocating pitt-ing plungers operating in such openings, a stationary stripper inside the drum, a reciprocating' cleaner inside the drum having a guiding connection with said shaft, and a rock shaft inside the drum for operating said cleaner, substantially as set forth.

7. In a cherry pitting machine, the combination with an intermittently rotating hollow drum, furnished with a series of cherry receiving cavities each having a pit discharge opening through the drum, of

'reciprocating pitting plungers, each having an enlarged head furnished with a plurality of forks with inclined edge's,va stationary stripper inside the drum, and reciprocating cleaner or ejector' plungers inside the drum, 60 substantially as described.

8. In a fruit pitting machine, the combi- `tion of-means for holding the fruit, a pitting plunger having a relatively small shank and an enlarged head divided into forks formed with radial edges on the end of the plunger and an elastic stripper slitted to form yielding prongs which operate by their extremities passing between the forks, substantially as described. t

SAMUEL J. DUNKLEY.

Witnesses: H. M. MUNDAY,

z EDMUND AnoooK. 

